The present invention relates to ammunition for low caliber weapons. In particular, the invention relates to ammunition for low caliber weapons containing an improved ball for training purposes. More particularly, the present invention relates to a projectile or ball for training ammunition which must have a limited range.
As used herein, the term "ball" is defined as a bullet for general use, as distinguished from bullets for special uses such as armor-piercing, incendiary, or high explosives. In particular, the term "ball" relates to any low caliber projectile regardless of its shape.
Many military training facilities do not have sufficient real estate to accommodate the range of standard ammunition, yet they are required to provide a realistic training environment. The training ammunition must ballistically match the standard ammunition for the weapon to the maximum range of interest. Additionally, it should be similar in appearance to the standard ammunition in order to afford realistic training.
In order to find an appropriate ball for a limited range training ammunition, both plastic balls and steel probe nose rounds have been studied and their performance was determined to not be as required. The maximum range of the plastic ball at 40.degree. quadrant elevation was found to be about 2936 meters, and the steel probe nose round was found to have a range of about 3957 meters. In contrast, the required maximum range for limited range training ammunition is 2500 meters. Thus, both the plastic ball and the steel probe nose rounds exceeded the safety limit for range. In addition, in the testing of .50 caliber plastic ball rounds, the mass of the rounds was found to be insufficient to generate enough recoil for recycling the M2 Machine Gun at a satisfactory level. Moreover, neither the plastic ball rounds nor the steel probe nose rounds looked similar to the Caliber .50, M33 ball. This has an effect upon the reality of the training environment, since the Caliber .50, M33 ball is the standard service round for the M2 Machine Gun.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide small caliber training ammunition containing a projectile having a limited range.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide training ammunition containing a projectile having limited range, which is similar in appearance to the standard ammunition for the weapon in use.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such ammunition, wherein the expense of the projectile is not excessive in cost, in comparison to the projectile of the standard ammunition for the weapon in use.
These and other objects of the invention, as well as the advantages thereof, will become clear from the disclosure which follows.